Rabat – French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati will visit Morocco in a three-day trip, which will kick off on February 16. An informed source told Morocco World News (MWN) that the visit is still in the planning stage.
However, French news outlet Le360 quoted an authorized source that the visit is already planned for February 16.
The trip will also include a visit to Laayoune in southern Morocco, where she is expected to chair a ceremony to inaugurate a French cultural institute, the source told Le360.
During the visit, Dati will also hold a series of talks with senior officials.
The visit as France and Morocco’s relationship is at an all-time high, especially after Paris’ newfound position supporting Rabat’s territorial integrity.
In July of last year, President Emmanuel Macron announced his country’s new position recognizing Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces in the Western Sahara.
He recalled the same position in his historic State visit to Morocco last year in October, reiterating that his country will support Morocco’s territorial integrity on the global stage.
During the visit, the two countries also signed 22 agreements spanning multiple sectors from transport and energy to cultural cooperation.
The agreements extend to cooperation in industries such as cultural heritage, and video game development.
Last year at the Cannes Film Festival, Morocco and France also signed a bilateral agreement that aims to boost cultural and cinematic collaboration.
The two countries also pledged to boost cooperation in the area of culture, particularly in cinema and cultural heritage reservation.
The strengthened ties between Morocco and France have been met with frustration from the Polisario Front separatist group and its supporter Algeria. The group has been behind attacks threatening Morocco’s territorial integrity in the Sahara.
Since France’s new Sahara position, ties between Paris and Algiers worsened.
Following the French decision, Algiers recalled its ambassador to Paris in protest of the new momentum in favor of Rabat’s cause.
These ties further deteriorated due to Algeria’s arbitrary arrests of activists, including author Boualem Sansal, who was arrested for writing critiques against Algeria’s regime.
The Algerian regime has also been also throwing claims and accusations towards France, including its latest allegations that French intelligence has conspired against Algeria’s security and meddled in domestic affairs.
